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175

Thursday May 13. 1880. Booth came at noon and I painted the rest of the day on the Benedick, mostly on the costume and advanced it considerably. Found a note from Eastman as I went out to dinner saying he was feeling ill and did not think he would be able to come to the B.F. dinner of which he and Judge Sedgwick were the committee and asking me to come up some time during the day. Went to the G.B. dinner in 21st St same place of last dinner. Hood was the only guest, not a large attendance. After the dinner was over Dr. Otis and I went up to see Eastman. The Dr. thought he had caught a little cold and would be all right tomorrow. Have felt badly all day. The Academy dinner did not agree with me. Weir, who was in in the morning, said he was sick last night and so was Beard and Johnson. An anxious letter from Sade trying to encourage me. I know she is troubled for me and I wish I could be more happy but I am very unhappy and well nigh discouraged. I had written to Sade before I received her letter.

Friday 14. Went up to Moores to see if he had not sold the pictures I sold him thinking if he had he might want more but he had not and they are among my best pictures. Then to the Academy to see Brown but he was not there, none of my pictures sold and the season drawing to a close. Booth came and told me his wife lay awake all night coughing and that Edwina has a diphtheritic attack which troubles him greatly. He felt very [[curiously?]] and told me he had seen so much trouble that he was prepared for anything which could befall him. Mr. [[?]] was here when he came in but left soon after. I painted on the Benedick and he is delighted with it, but I hope to make it better. Just before we left Mr. Statton came in with a letter from Lawrence Barrett proposing to give Booth a dinner before he goes abroad. He wants me to take an active part in it but I am in so wretched a state that I dread any publicity of this rut much as I would like to do anything to help honor Booth. I proposed that it take the form of a breakfast at the Century and he limit it to 15 or 30 prominent people which they both agreed to and I recommended him to see Stedman as the best man to organize and direct it. Mrs. Henry invited me to dinner with them in their studio to meet Commander Whitehead which I did. After dinner we went to their room, the one Gertrude and I occupied so many years, but it did